Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-04-09
WASHINGTON.
Items of Interest about Men and Affairs
Around the. National Capitol.

The Capitol in the interim is fully
as interesting as when busting with
Congressman, lobbyists, politicians.
The rotunda is seldom without score
of tourists, listening with upcraned
necks to the variations of the guides
who, now that Congress has adjourn
ed and they can't point out notables
at the rate of so cents an hour, have
heightened out their descriptions of
the trescoes and paintingsin the dome.
Aunt Clara, who knew Henry Clay,
and who now sells knick-knacks in
the corridor just off the rotunda, is
still there. 81 tell YOU" says Aunt |
Clara, "dat eet ees de vera fullest |
days l efer saw. | sells nothing all
does day. l must surely go to de
poorhouse eef does kips on dis way
longer" At the door of the House |
the penman sits at his card table, pen |
in hand, ready to write your cards 1T
the rate f75 cents per pack, but jobs |
are few, and the card-writer has read |
three Of Zola's novels since the adj |
jouInment. Here and there are soil !
tary clerks going to their committee
rooms. The only people who seem
to feel at all at homeare the Capitol
police, who sit around the spittoons
refreshing themselves" as Charles
Dickens has it. The telegraphinstru-
ments have ceased their din, and
but for the echoing football of the
tourist the great three acres of mar
BILE would be silent as the tomb.
The grounds of the Executive
Mansion are nearly as green as in
summer, and one wishes that there
were children of the house to play
there. What host of Presidents
children have romped there. Little
Tad Lincoln used to roll hoop down
the hill where the band plays on sum-
mer afternoons now and strut about
in his miniature uniform of "a lieuten-
ant, playing at war. Then came young
Andrew Jackson, Jr., a boy of twelve.
Here came Fred and Jesse Grant to
: riot in afternoons when theShetland
ponies had brought them home from
school. Came afterwards little Fan
ny and Scott Hayes, making the air
ring with joyous shouts. Came the
= host of Garfield children, enjoying so
thoroughly their short good time,
= which the tragedy closed so soon.
Here strolled awkward Allen Arthur,
l in his good clothes, home from school,
e accompanied by his sister, girl who
D possessed her fathers mind and her
mothers face, the heritage of which
had certainly not fallen to the elder
1 child. Americans are essentially a
: domestic people. These children had
8 no enemies. Perchance favor spoil
f ed some of them. 1t did not iniure
: all.
r The Postmaster at Washington
who has held Office ever since the ad
: ministration OF President Arthur
r and drawn the lucrative salary Of 81,
It 600 a year, is getting very uneasy lest
It in the early days of spring he will
d lose his much sought after position
7, The rumor is that the Presiden
n has instructed the Postmaster Gen
IT eral to inform him ofall the Presiden
Re tial poStmasters holding over from TIL
is last administration, with the view o
% calling for the resignation Of the some
u $50 Republicans that their places ma.
Ie be filled by good and patient Demo
L Gratis. There are over 2,4OO Of thes
he offices within the gift ofthe President
n and the fact that all except $50 ar
J. filled by sturdy Democrats makes
ID look as if President Cleveland is
IN pretty good Democrat, no matte
j. what has been charged to the contra
d. ry.
n One day this week five ducks wer
v. found lying dead at the. base of tn
n Washington Monument. One Other
lie was found cut nearly in two as
We cleaved by razor. ut is suppose
re that the early morning being cloud
OF the ducks lost their course and blint
IT ly dashed against the monument wit
OF. such force as to be killed, and the or
w found cut in two struck the platinum
e. point on the monument which cut
A. in twain.
" Commissioner of Agriculture, Co
go man, has just returned from Louis
n, ana, and is delighted with his receI
us ton there and with the prospects
St an increase in the yield ofsugar. II
in says that he never knew what Sout
q. ern hospitality was until his tr
j. SOIlth Ho 1voS dinp1 and wins